Refund Policy

Effective Date: March 26, 2026  |  Last Updated: March 26, 2026

1. Overview

At Costa Vida, we are committed to delivering fresh, high-quality food and an exceptional customer experience with every order. We understand that sometimes things do not go as expected, and we want to make the process of requesting a refund or exchange as simple and straightforward as possible.

This policy outlines the conditions under which refunds, partial refunds, exchanges, and cancellations are accepted, as well as the procedures and timeframes involved. This policy is governed by applicable consumer protection laws in the United States, including regulations enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the FTC Act.

2. Eligibility Conditions for Refunds

To be eligible for a refund, your request must meet one or more of the following conditions:

• You received an incorrect item that does not match your order confirmation.
• Your order arrived in a condition that is clearly damaged, spoiled, or unsafe for consumption.
• A confirmed food quality issue has been identified that renders the item inedible or significantly below our standard of preparation.
• Your order was not delivered within the estimated delivery window, and no reasonable resolution was provided.
• A duplicate charge was processed on your payment method for the same order.
• A technical error on our website or ordering platform resulted in an incorrect or unintended charge.
• Your order was cancelled by Costa Vida due to item unavailability or operational reasons before preparation began.

3. Non-Refundable Items and Situations

The following items and circumstances are not eligible for a refund:

4. Timeframes for Refund Requests

All refund requests must be submitted within the following timeframes to be considered valid:

• Standard Food Orders (Dine-In / Pickup): Refund requests must be submitted within 24 hours of the time the order was received or collected.
• Delivery Orders: Refund requests must be submitted within 24 hours of the confirmed delivery timestamp.
• Catering Orders: Refund requests must be submitted within 48 hours of the event date or delivery date of the catering order.
• Duplicate Charges or Billing Errors: Requests related to billing errors must be submitted within 7 business days of the transaction appearing on your account statement.
• Online Order Technical Errors: Requests resulting from website or app technical errors must be submitted within 48 hours of the incident.

Requests submitted after these timeframes will not be eligible for a refund under standard circumstances. Exceptions may be considered at the sole discretion of Costa Vida management in extraordinary situations.

5. How to Request a Refund — Step-by-Step

Follow the steps below to submit a refund request:

1. Gather Your Order Information: Locate your order confirmation email or receipt. Have your order number, date of purchase, items ordered, and the amount charged readily available.
2. Document the Issue: If the issue relates to food quality, incorrect items, or damaged delivery, take clear photographs as evidence before discarding the product. This documentation will support your claim.
3. Contact Our Customer Service Team: Reach out to us via email at [email protected] or visit our website at vidacosta.digital. Include your full name, contact information, order number, a description of the issue, and any supporting photos or documents.
4. Await Confirmation: Our customer service team will send you an acknowledgment of your request within 1–2 business days of receipt.
5. Review and Decision: Our team will evaluate your request and may follow up with additional questions or requests for information. A final decision will be communicated to you within 3–5 business days of receiving all necessary information.
6. Refund Processing: If approved, your refund will be processed according to the timeframes described in Section 6 of this policy.

6. Refund Processing Times by Payment Method

Once a refund has been approved, the time it takes for the funds to be returned to you depends on your original payment method:

Please note that Costa Vida does not control the processing timelines of financial institutions or third-party payment processors. Actual times may vary based on your bank or payment provider.

7. Partial Refunds

In some cases, a partial refund may be issued rather than a full refund. Partial refunds may apply under the following circumstances:

• Only a portion of your order was incorrect, missing, or unsatisfactory, while the remainder of the order was delivered and accepted without issue.
• A promotional discount, coupon, or reward points were applied to the original order, and the refund reflects the net amount paid for the affected item(s).
• The quality concern was reported after the item had been partially consumed.
• An order was partially fulfilled due to item unavailability, and the remaining items were correctly delivered.

The amount of a partial refund will be calculated based on the pro-rated value of the affected item(s) as indicated on your order receipt, excluding any applicable delivery fees unless the delivery failure was total.

8. Cancellation Policy

We understand that plans can change. Our cancellation policy is as follows:

Standard Orders (Pickup / Dine-In)

• Orders may be cancelled free of charge within 5 minutes of being placed, provided that food preparation has not yet begun.
• Once food preparation has commenced, cancellations are not accepted, and no refund will be issued.

Delivery Orders

• Delivery orders may be cancelled within 5 minutes of placement if the order has not entered the preparation stage.
• Orders already in preparation or out for delivery cannot be cancelled. You may, however, submit a refund request if an issue arises upon delivery.

Catering Orders

• More than 7 days before the event: Full refund of all amounts paid, including any deposit.
• 3–7 days before the event: A 50% refund of the total order amount. The remaining 50% will be retained as a cancellation fee to cover preparation and staffing costs.
• Less than 48 hours before the event: No refund will be issued. The full order amount is non-refundable due to the significant preparation costs already incurred.

9. Exchange Policy

For food-related businesses, direct item exchanges work differently than in traditional retail. Our exchange policy is outlined below:

• Incorrect Items (In-Store / Pickup): If you received an incorrect item, please notify a team member immediately upon receipt. We will prepare and provide the correct item at no additional charge, subject to availability.
• Incorrect Items (Delivery): If an incorrect item was delivered, contact us within 24 hours. Depending on the circumstances, we may offer a replacement item (subject to delivery availability) or a refund for the affected item.
• Allergy-Related Concerns: If an item was prepared with an allergen that was clearly indicated to be excluded in the order, please contact us immediately. We take all allergy-related concerns with the highest priority and will work with you to provide an appropriate resolution, which may include a replacement or full refund.
• Non-Food Items (Merchandise, Gift Cards): Unopened merchandise may be exchanged within 14 days of purchase with a valid receipt. Gift cards are non-exchangeable and non-refundable once issued.

10. Dispute Resolution Process

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your refund request, Costa Vida provides the following escalation and dispute resolution process:

Step 1: Internal Escalation

If your initial refund request was denied or you believe the decision was incorrect, you may escalate the matter by emailing [email protected] with the subject line: "Refund Dispute – Order #[Your Order Number]". A senior member of our customer experience team will review your case within 5 business days.

Step 2: Mediation

If an internal resolution cannot be reached, both parties agree to attempt resolution through good-faith mediation before pursuing any formal legal action. Mediation may be conducted remotely via written correspondence or through a mutually agreed neutral third party.

Step 3: Consumer Protection Agencies

You have the right to file a complaint with the following organizations if you believe your consumer rights have been violated:

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC): www.ftc.gov
• Better Business Bureau (BBB): www.bbb.org
• Your applicable state consumer protection agency

Step 4: Chargeback Rights

Nothing in this policy limits your right to initiate a chargeback with your credit card issuer or bank if you believe an unauthorized or erroneous charge has occurred. However, we encourage customers to contact us first, as most issues can be resolved more quickly and efficiently through our direct customer service process.

11. Contact Information for Refund Requests

For all refund-related inquiries, please contact us using the information below:

Our customer service team is available to respond to inquiries during standard business hours. We aim to respond to all emails within 1–2 business days. For urgent matters related to food safety or allergic reactions, please contact us immediately via email and mark your message as URGENT in the subject line.

12. Policy Updates

Costa Vida reserves the right to update or modify this Refund Policy at any time without prior notice. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting to vidacosta.digital. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page will reflect the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed of any changes.

Your continued use of our services after any policy update constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.

This policy was last reviewed and updated on March 26, 2026.